Viloria and Miranda make weight, fight today

WBO flyweight champion Julio Cesar Miranda of Mexico had to shed off two pounds in two hours while challenger Brian “The Hawaiian Punch” Viloria easily made the flyweight (112lb) limit on his first try, weighing 111.6lb during yesterday’s official weigh-in to turn on the green light for today’s world title fight at the Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Miranda first weighed 113.6lb on his first try and was given two hours to shed the excess weight. When he returned after a brief workout where he covered himself in plastic and coat, Miranda tipped the scales at 111.6lb.

If the 30-year-old Viloria wins, he will be the sixth Filipino to win world titles in at least two different weight divisions after Dodie Boy Peñalosa, Luisito Espinosa, Gerry Peñalosa, Nonito Donaire and Manny Pacquiao.

The 31-year-old Miranda (35W-5L-1D, 28 KOs) won the vacant title by beating Filipino Richie Mepranum by 5th round TKO. In his third title defense, he stopped another Filipino, Arden Diale in four rounds.

Viloria (28W-3L, 16 KOs) has previously won the WBC and IBF titles at 108lb.

There will be two Filipinos fighting in the undercards.

Michael Fareñas (31W (KO26)-3L-3D), a protégé of Gerry Peñalosa will face Mexican Fernando Beltran Jr. (35W (KO19) -5L-1D) and Denver “The Excitement” Cuello (26W-4L-6D, 16 KOs) will face Omar “El Pastor” Soto (15W-7L-1D, 6 KOs)of Puerto Rico.

ABC TV 5 will telecast the Viloria-Miranda title fight from Honolulu at 11 a.m. back-to-back with the 10-round welterweight tune-up bout from Cancun, Mexico between Mexican legend Juan Manuel Marquez (52-5-1, 38 KOs) and Colombian southpaw Likar Ramos (24-3, 18 KOs) at 3 p.m.

At the official weigh-in Marquez tipped the scales at 138lb while Ramos came in at 140. The fight is regarded as a tune up for Marquez prior to his much-awaited trilogy with pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao on Nov. 12 in Las Vegas.